Fanfolding machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FANFOLDING MACHINE J. L. LAWRENCE I'AL F/& 1.

Oct. 27, 1959 Filed July 25. 1954 Oct. 27, 1959 J. L. LAWRENCE ETAL 2,910,292

FANFOLDING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yllllllllllll IIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIH /VI/ENTORS JOSEPH L. LAWRENCE PH/L/P H. LLEN @Y #Mw QM ATTURNEY United States FAN FOLDING MACHINE Joseph L. Lawrence, San Francisco, and Philip H. Allen, Orinda, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Cycle Equipment Company, Los Gatos, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application July 23, 1954, Serial No. 445,342

Claims. (Cl. 270--73) The present invention relates to machines for producing fanfolded paper tape and the like and is concerned more particularly with a machine of this character which is particularly useful in connection with the paper tapes produced in teletype systems. Y t

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved fanfolding mechanism which can fanfold relatively light tape without interference from static electricity picked up by the tape during the handling process.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fanfolding machine having a large storage capacity for tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fanfolding machine in which the tape is positively removed from the adjacent folding mechanism so as to avoid accidental pick up by the folding mechanism after the tape is discharged therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fanfolding mechanism lin which the tape can be removed from the folding mechanism or replaced therein as desired if inspection or use of the tape free of the machine is required.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan View of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the tape receiving hopper illustrating the storage of the fanfolded tape.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view partially in elevation illustrating the mounting of the folding drums and being taken generally as indicated by the line 4-4 in Figure l.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 `but illustrating the drums in open condition for insertion or removal of the tape. Y

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan View of the means for adjusting the drums between open and closed position.

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 6, but showing the parts adjusted to be open for removal of tape.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the eccentrically mounted bearing used in making the adjustment to open condition.

The fanfolding mechanism is of the general type disclosed in the patent to Campbell, 1,959,409, dated May 22, 1934, as modified in the co-pending application of Philip H. Allen, Serial No. 232,189, filed June 1S, 1951, now U.S. Patent No. 2,859,961.

The machine includes generally a cast main frame 10 having housed `therein at one end a pair of folding drums lice j.

11 and 12 carried by respective shafts 13 and 14. The shafts 13 and 14 have mounted thereon intermeshing gears 16, one of which meshes with the drive pinion 17 of a suitable electric motor 18. The direction of drive is such that the two drums 11 and 12 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure l. Each drum has a ing blade 21 suitably pivoted therein at 22 and `urged `by a spring 23 for clockwise movement, and also a creasing blade 34 suitably pivoted therein at 3S and urged counter-clockwise by a spring 26. The two blades of each drum are mounted apart and the drums are so disposed that the tucking Vblade on one drum mates with the creasing blade on the other drum to perform a fold. To control opening and closing of the creasing blade during rotation of the associated drum, respective covers 31 and 32 are secured by suitable screws to the body or frame 10 and are provided with respective cams 36 and 37 which serve to rock the creasing blade clockwise in each instance to an open position. The cam 36 is immediately ahead of the creasing position so as to open a space between the creasing blade 34 and the opposed wall 38 against which its pressed to fold the tape, so 4that the associated tucking blade can insert the tape for folding.

Each cam 37 operates on the associated creasing blade 34 to open the creasing blade after it has creased the tape and to maintain it open during subsequent rotation of the drum until the creasing blade of the opposite drum has in turn gripped the paper to make a fold. The above mechanism is described in detail in said application.

Means are provided for permitting insertion and removal of the tape, and for this purpose two covers 31 and 32 are separated by a space 41 adjacent the meeting surfaces of the two drums 11 and 12. The drum-11 has its shaft 13 mounted in respective sleeve `bearings 42 and 43 (Figure 4), the bearing 42 being mounted in a boss 44 of the body 10 having an internal bore of greater diameter than the sleeve `42 and having a pair of rubber inserts 45 (Figures 4 and 6) urging the shaft 13 and the drum 11 toward Athe drum 12, in the closed condition of the drums. The bearing 43 at the upper end is carried by a threaded sleeve extension 46 `of an adjusting lknob 47 journalled in the cover 31 `for rotation `through 180 between respective stops 48 engaged by a pin 49 projecting from the knob 47. A retaining nut Si) engages the extension 46. The knob 47 carries a pair of cylindrical rubber inserts 45 in the same manner as the inserts 45 at the lower end of the shaft 13. As seen in Figure 6, where the adjustment is for the closed condition of the drums, the knob 47 is in position to secure feeding of tape between the drums, and the bearing sleeve 43 is yin off center position with respect 'thereto with its center Yto the left `of the center line of the drums. In Figure 7 the knob 47 has been rotated 180, the eccentricity of the sleeve 43 with respect to the knob 47 moves it on the opposite side of the center line and produces a tapered opening between the drums 11 and 12 as indicated in Figure 5, the tilting of the drum 11 serving to `provide'suficient freedom of movement of the tape for its insertion or removal, Without interfering with the meshing of the gears 16. Knob `55 (Figures l and 4) is secured on shaft 14 of the dmm 12 to provide for turning Aof the drums to free the tape from `a set of blades when necessary.

Means are provided to permit :feeding of the'tapefrorn the `side Vof the machine, from above the machine, `or from below the machine.A As seen in Figure 2, the tape S1 may be received first over a roller 52 carried by an arm 53, pivoted at 54 in a bracket 56. This bracket 56 carries a second roll 57 coaxial with the pivot 54 of the arm 53 and also carries an inclined roll 58 of greater length over which the tape can be passed from above or below and then extends horizontally to a roll 59 carried by a shaft 61 projecting up from a movable tape responsive arm 62 controlling the starting and stopping of the motor 18 in a manner disclosed in said application. The pivotal arm 53 provides a certain predetermined available slack of tape through its weight. By pulling on the tape and lifting the arm 53, an operator can be allowed a slack amount of tape for adjustment in the teletype machine.

`Means are provided for storing the fanfolded tape and for removing the tape from the folding mechanism so as to avoid accidental pick up of the tape by the folding mechanism. The tape 51 is discharged across a stationary platform 66 suitably mounted on the frame 10 of the machine and shaped to provide a tapering nose extending inwardly between the drums 11 and 12 belolw the level at which tape is fed therethrough, the tape being received edgewise on this platform. From the platform 66, the tape is received on one of a pair of horizontal belts 6-7 carried by respective drums 68 on an extension or plate 69 of the frame. The respective belts 67 are disposed in suitable slots of the plate 69. lOne set of these drums 68 are driven by a motor 70 at a speed slightly in excess of the speed of egress of the tape from the folding drums so that any tape discharged has a slight feeding or pulling action imparted thereto at a rate in excess of its actual feed from through the drums, so that a slight frictional drag occurs between the tape and the belt 67. The belt 67 projects slightly above the other supporting surfaces for the tape including an open tray or hopper 76 having respective side walls 77 and bottom portions 78, 79 and 80 disposed respectively between and at either side of the belts 67. Feeding of the tape to the belt is facilitated by respective stripping blades 81 and 82 which extend in the respective slots 83 in the drums so as to effectively remove the tape therefrom vand positively direct it toward the conveyer 67 The above arrangement of a horizontally disposed table or conveyer for receiving the fanfolded tape provides for use of any static charge thereon by making the tape cling more tightly to its support rather than to cause interference with the feed of the tape. As seen in Figure 3, the fanfolded tape is gradually accumulated on the storage platform or in the storage hopper comprising the tray 76, and when folding of a length of tape is completed, it can be removed from the machine by lifting of the tray 76 therefrom which is seated freely on the platform extension 69 of the frame. If desired, the fanfolder, which is shown in horizontal position in the various views, can be suitably supported in a vertical position so that thedrums 11 and 12 have horizontal axis and so that the supporting platform `69 and the tape hopper or tray 76 are disposed in vertical position and the tape will then fall in folded condition against an end wall 83 of the tray 76. In this position any static electricity on the tape will cause it to cling slightly to the belt 67 thereby facilitating its feeding downwardly along the side surface into a deposited position on the wall 83. When the fan-folder is in this vertical position suitable means is provided for securing the tray 76'releasably on the platform 69.

It will be further noted that the fanfolding machine provides in effect an accumulating structure comprising the hopper 76 where a substantial length of tape can be accumulated in folded condition. By suitable construction of the size and length of the hopper 76, it is apparent that any quantity of tape can be accumulated therein, and for example with respect to teletype tape received from a lteletype machine operating at approximately seventy words per-minute, a hopper of about fifteen -to twenty inches in length can accumulate a twenty-four hour run of tape for subsequent use or for storage. Where the tape is to be used subsequently for re-transmission on another teletype machine, the end of the tape can be withdrawn from the hopper 76 and fed directly to the retransmitter.

While we have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown, so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

l. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, rotary means for engaging and feeding tape, guide means for tape approaching said rotary feeding means, means for receiving tape from said rotary feed means, said rotary feed means having a mounting structure which determines a closed position of the rotary feed means and an open position thereof, a manual control associated withsaid rotary feed means for controlling said mounting structure to determine the open and closed condition thereof; said guide means, said rotary means, and said tape receiving means defining in part a passage through the folding mechanism, and means defining an opening at one side of said passage so that with said rotary feed means in open position said tape can be withdrawn or inserted through said opening.

2. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, rotary means for engaging and feeding tape, guide means for tape approaching said rotary feeding means, means for receiving tape from said rotary feed means, said rotary feed means having a mounting structure which determines a closed position of the rotary feed means and an open position thereof, manual control means associated with said rotary feed means for controlling said mounting structure to determine the open and closed condition thereof; said guide means, said rotary means, and said tape receiving means defining in part a passage through the folding mechanism, and means defining an opening at one side of said passage so that with said rotary feed means in open position said tape can be withdrawn or inserted edgewise throughsaid opening.

3. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, a housing, a pair of rotary feed elements mounted in said housing for engaging and feeding tape, said housing including means providing an open slot extending along one side thereof in alignment with the engaging surfaces of said rotary feed elements, guide means for tape approaching said rotary feed elements, means for receiving tape from said rotary feed elements, and manual control means associated with said rotary feed elements for controlling positioning thereof to determine an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, whereby With the rotary feed elements in open position, the entire tape, including the tape in said tape receiving means, the tape engaged with said guide means, and the tape passing between said rotary feed elements can be withdrawn edgewise with respect to the length of the tape through said slot and disengaged from the fanfolding mechanism.

4. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, a housing, a pair of rotary feed elements mounted in said housing for engaging and feeding tape with the positioning parallel to the axes of the elements, said housing including means providing an open slot extending along one side thereof in alignment with the engaging surfaces of said rotary feed elements, and control means associated with said rotary feed elements for controlling positioning thereof to determine an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, whereby with the rotary feed elements in open position the tape passing between said rotary feed elements can be withdrawn edgewise and disengaged from the fanfolding mechanism.

5. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, a housing, a pair of rotary holding elements jouruallcd in said housing for engaging and holding tape, said housing including a pair of covers forming part of the journalling means for said elements and spaced apart to provide an open slot extending in alignment with the engaging surfaces of said rotary elements, and manual control means 5 associated with said rotary elements for controlling posi- -tioning thereof to determine an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, whereby with the rotary elements in open position the tape passing between said rotary elements can be Withdrawn edgewise with respect 10 to the length of the tape and disengaged from the fanfo1ding mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Earle et a1. Dec. 22, 1891 Brown et al. Jan. 6, 1920 Swick Sept. 28, 1920 Wennerblad et a1. June 9, 1925 Korndorfer et al Feb. 18, 1930 Butterfield May 28, 1940 Ford Apr. 30, 1946 Ward et al. May 2, 1950 Evers Oct. 12, 1954 

